Theory and Analysis of Cosmic Web Observables

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This research will develop theoretical frameworks and analysis tools for the tremendous outpouring of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and Large Scale Structure (LSS) and galaxy formation data that will arise over 2019-2024 period, and beyond. The 2012-18 period has been amazing, solidifying a Standard Model of Cosmology (SMc) dominated by dark energy and dark matter at high precision, in large part through our activities on the Planck CMB satellite team and the higher resolution Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) team. The impact was recently recognized by the 2018 Gruber Prize in Cosmology to our Planck group for providing “the definitive description of the universe on the largest and smallest scales.” ***CMB and LSS: This proposal emphasizes planned work on Advanced ACTPol and the Simons Observatory follow-on, the related CCATprime telescope, a second flight of the balloon-borne Spider experiment, cross-correlation work of the CMB with the LSS space experiment Euclid and other ground-based LSS surveys, and various three-dimensional line intensity mapping (LIM) experiments probing galaxy formation and assembly. A primary motivation is to find new physics beyond the standard model of cosmology (BSMc). BSMc projects include how to measure whether dark energy is coupled to matter, whether quantum aspects of dark matter are observable, and to create statistical tests for novel non-Gaussian primordial structures generated in the early Universe. ***Gravity Waves and Interstellar Dust Polarization: A major CMB target is to discover early-Universe gravity waves with CMB polarization. The greatest challenge is separating polarized Galactic emissions from what is truly primordial. For this we are developing novel re-mapping measures of anisotropy in the “Milky Way's interstellar web” polarized emissions. ***Line Intensity Mapping is an emerging technique to map large cosmological volumes to probe the Epoch of Galaxy Assembly and even of the pre-galactic cosmic dawn. The Canadian CHIME radio telescope targeting the 21cm line of hydrogen and COMAP in California, targeting a carbon monoxide line, are now taking data, and CCATprime, targeting ionized carbon, is under construction. Our group at CITA is engaging in all of the analytical and theoretical challenges that will arise from these vast new data sources, including any new BSMc physics that might emerge. ***Theory and Simulations: We will create ensembles of rapidly-computable yet accurate SMc and BSMc mock simulations we call webskys for cross-analyses, since all of these big-sky experiments are entangled in one fully correlated light-cone, and must ultimately be analyzed together. This is a challenge because of complex gas processes, but the webskys we construct will learn from the highest resolution gasdynamical feedback simulations. ***HQP: Such work has been and is well suited for engagement of HQP locally at all levels at CITA: Senior RAs and postdocs, graduate and undergraduate research students.